Chael Sonnen plans on being the next promoter to take a stab at slap fighting and plans on holding events in Oregon.
Since his fighting career ended, Chael Sonnen has stayed busy in the fight game. He was an analyst for ESPN, has emceed press conference events, currently hosts his own podcast, and now he is looking to start his own slap-fighting events.
The introduction of slap-fighting to the masses came earlier this year when UFC President Dana White linked up with former UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta to create their own slap-fighting organization.
Now, it seems the fans are in and want to see this crazy new combat sport. It has grown so much in popularity even before the first event of White’s “Power Slap League” that others are looking to get in on the ground floor.
Chael Sonnen Wants To Hold His Own Slap Fighting Event
Slap fighting pits two men or women against each other. One at a time, they take turns to slap the other until one cannot continue. White plans to make his slap athletes into stars just as he has done with the UFC. Chael Sonnen, who has been around fighting for a long time, wants in.
“I am onboard and I am open to this. I am a promoter here in Oregon and I have already booked venues. (I’m) finding talent to come in to hold a competition for the slap contest,” he said on his YouTube channel. “I will also share with you, aside from booking the venues, I haven’t taken a step in that direction. I don’t know if it’s gonna get over with you guys? So, I’m getting all the pieces together.”
The buzz around this new sport has been high and even the most popular UFC athletes have shown an interest. Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor have been joking about trying it out. There could be a crossover from UFC to slapping and if the sport is going to be a success as White is promising, Sonnen would like to help out. He wants to hold his own event that can be like a farm league in a way for the Power Slap League.
“Before we hold them (events), I’m gonna make the big ask of Dana, ‘Can I guarantee whoever wins, can I guarantee them a spot in your event?’ And I’m gonna use this to promote,” he said. “But in the meanwhile, I’m gonna let Dana do the effort, I’m gonna let Dana take the risk, and I’m gonna let Dana spend the money. There’s plenty of pariahs out there exactly like me, they just haven’t come and admitted it to you.”
The Power Slap League already has some athletes with experience in the sport. There are plans of having a TV show featuring the fighters as a way of introducing them to the fans much as The Ultimate Fighter did for the UFC.
Are you interested in the new Power Slap League, and would you watch Chael Sonnen’s version?
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